Hurricane Ian to crush midweek retail sales in Florida – WWD

Hurricane Ian, which is threatening life and property through western and northern Florida, as well as parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, will disrupt widespread retail trade for at least a few days.

Among the retail chains hardest hit were Dillard’s, Belk, Cato Stores, City Trends, Advance Auto Parts and Hibbett Sports, due to a high percentage of their store locations in Florida and the South. In some cases, 10 percent to 15 percent of the region’s retail stores will be closed for at least two days, and possibly damaged by wind and flooding. Particularly affected are the single-room mom-and-pop stores that rely on the local population, which started moving out this week.

National chains like JCPenney and Walmart have many stores in the path of the storm, but it’s still a relatively small percentage of their total business.

“Hurricane Ian will affect much of Florida, including major population centers such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Naples, Orlando and Jacksonville, as well as highly populated markets in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions,” said Evan Gould, International Vice President of Global Affairs. . Partnerships and alliances at Planetics, he told WWD. “In addition to heavy rain, flooding, high winds and possibly tornadoes, Ian could bring widespread power outages and dangerous storm surges.”

While the storm’s impact was high — it was the first hurricane to hit Tampa Bay in more than 100 years — it’s the middle of the week and not a weekend or holiday, and in retrospect, it’s not a big buzz moment for retailers. – School sale is over. It’s also still pretty warm in the south so fall sales won’t be too big.

As of midday Wednesday, Walmart had a total of more than 200 stores and warehouse clubs closed. “The safety of our friends, customers and members is always our top priority,” Walmart said in a statement. “Walmart’s Emergency Operations Center is monitoring Hurricane Ian in real time, assessing the condition of our facilities in the storm’s path. As long as it is safe to do so, we will continue to work.

“A map has been created to help our customers and the communities we serve plan for the storm. This map will continue to be updated in real time to provide consumers with the most up-to-date information available,” Walmart continued.

A Neiman Marcus spokesperson said: “The safety and security of our customers, partners and brand partners is our top priority. The Neman Marcus Group closed our Tampa Bay, Orlando and Sawgrass Mills stores to encourage individuals to follow the necessary evacuation orders. Those areas will remain closed until it is safe to return. Our active partnership and point of sale support the American Red Cross in helping to shelter and support the thousands of families affected by Hurricane Ian. NMG’s Employee Hardship Assistance Fund is available to our partners who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the hurricane.

Bloomingdale’s Orlando closed its store Wednesday and will be closed Thursday.

At Saks Fifth Avenue, “Based on the severity of the storm, we have decided to close our stores in both Naples and Sarasota to allow our associates to get home to their families,” a spokesperson told WWD. Both Saks stores remained closed Wednesday and Saks continues to monitor the situation in other Florida locations. “We have also made it possible for partners affected by the storm to apply for relief funds such as housing and health care. As always, the safety and security of our partners is our highest priority. We take the safety of our buildings very seriously and will do everything we can to protect them and our partners in the event of a tragedy like Hurricane Ian.

JCPenney will begin monitoring potential storm surge before landfall, including monitoring not only its path, but also wind speed and rainfall forecasts for store locations, the spokeswoman said. “Panels and sandbags will be taken care of. JCPenney will be in constant communication with store teams, field facilities teams and business partners during the event and during the storm. A virtual command center has been established to provide an open line of communication for store and field teams to report concerns and request support. This line is secure. It will also be used to coordinate a return to business.JCPenney’s priority is to safely close our locations, giving associates time to prepare for inclement weather on their own.

A Penney spokesperson also said the company will coordinate teams from other locations and support levels away from the storm, adding that JCPenney will respond very quickly and reliably. “JCPenney asks its associates not to respond to stores until the company can complete a visual or site inspection; and even then, provide direction on what to look for to identify potential safety hazards.”

Additionally, each year before a hurricane, Penney takes precautions to clear dock and roof drains and communicate hurricane/hurricane safety topics to stores. When natural disasters are declared, Penny provides financial assistance to associates to cover immediate needs such as food, clothing and transportation.

“Our first priority is the safety of our partners and customers,” said a Saks of 5th spokesperson. “We are closely monitoring the storm’s path and taking all precautions to ensure the safety of our team. At this time, seven of our 12 stores in Florida are currently closed and will remain until conditions are safe. During this time, we are focused on supporting our people as best we can.”

“During hurricanes and other extreme weather conditions, consumers shift to demand-based purchases that include ‘pantry loads’ and emergency items, such as batteries, flashlights, snow and ice,” said Gold from Plananalytics, which specializes in measuring the impact of sales on consumer purchases to help retailers plan. generators, and insulation products such as plywood.

Hence, “This week will not be good for jewelery store sales, consumer electronics and most apparels.

However, according to Gould, home centers and hardware stores had a large surplus of cleaning and repair supplies before and after the storm. Grocers, convenience stores, dollar stores, and quick service and drive-thru restaurants may also see pickup.

According to Planetix, other businesses and sectors that may experience losses due to hurricanes include:

Planalytics estimates that three days before the storm, gross revenue could increase by 5 percent to 10 percent over normal sales. Two days before a storm, gross revenue may increase by 10 percent to 20 percent of normal sales, and one day before a storm, revenue may increase by 30 percent to 50 percent. According to Plananalytics, sales of certain specific products such as packaged foods, bottled water, batteries, flashlights, ice creams, and brooms could double or triple.

“After the storm, Businesses try to open as soon as possible after it is deemed safe to do so. “Efficient supply chains are preparing supplies outside the intended impact area to bring in post-storm cleanup supplies and replenish high-demand items like ice, generators and water.”